Desperate Times
by monkkeyslut
Summary: Sequel to Sick. He was there for her. She might as well repay the favor. Future fic. One sided Artemis/Wally


This is a sort-of-sequel to my fic **Sick.**

It's set about eight or so years into the future, so I hope you guys like this :)

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><p>It's surprisingly easy to sneak into the hospital. The security guards don't even blink when she ghosts past them, a grin lighting her face.<p>

Her boots are loud against the floor, slapping against the linoleum but either nobody hears, or they don't care. Her costume feels unusually tight on her body, and it should. Because where she's about to go…that's her fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen year old self again. All greens and arrows and redhead boys. Somewhere she hasn't been in a long time.

When she reaches the door she can just see in through the frosted glass, she can see the red hair and the blinking machines. Her hand is surprisingly light when she touches the cool doorknob, twisting and pushing. She sneaks into the room before she can stop herself.

It smells like sickness in there. Sickness and hope and love. Artemis feels sick. She feels like she's going to puke. She also feels weak because, butterflies?—she hasn't gotten those since…well it's been a while.

Wally's laying on the bed, pale and limp, IV pumping fluids into him. Something inside her wishes Linda were here so she could punch her a few times, but someone has to stay home with his—_their_ kids.

Her feet feel heavy when they move towards the bed and she sits next to him, the mattress sinking slowly. He's been like this ever since Zoom—

She hates to think about it. She hates to think about what Zoom must've done to him.

Her hand moves by itself, touching his lightly at first but then gripping it like her life depends on it. Her other hand moves to her belt, reaching for the knife she'd brought.

"You're a prick, you know that?" She tells him, not bothering to keep her voice down. She'd like to see a nurse come in here and tell her—no, _try_ and make her leave.

She exhales sharply, propping her booted feet up on the nearest chair. Her eye itches where her orange paint is, but she leaves it. She has to admit that she must have been pretty fucked up when she decided to dress in oranges and blacks. What was she, a fucking pumpkin?

"You told me you don't get sick. Remember that?" She does. Her mind immediately strays to expensive penthouses and rich-pretend uncles and tomato rice soup. "You were there when I was sick and you said 'Nah, I don't get sick'. So what is this, huh?" She motions to his motionless form, eyes stinging. "You were always good at backing out of things."

Swallowing hard, Artemis laughs. "I'm sure Dick's doing everything he can to make sure you get better." She stares at the wall, eyes unfocussed. "He always thought he could help everyone."

She turns to Wally now, eyes flashing. Her knife is out in a flash and she places it across his throat. "I could do it, you know. I could do it and nobody would ever think it was me. Nobody would ever even _suspect me._" Her hand is sweaty. "But I can't." She murmurs, pulling away.

"Wanna know who I could kill? That little _Mia Dearden._ I can imagine Roy feels the same." Her laugh is hollow. She knew Lian. She planned on killing Mia, but Jade had stopped her.

"It sucks now. Everything _sucks._ You're the freakin' _Flash_. Dick's Batman now I guess, at least that's what Megan tells me—" she smirks slightly at the Martian's name. "And he's being the perfect daddy to Gotham's new _Robin._ Connor died and came back I guess, Donna's dead—not that I care. Barely knew the chick, but still. Kaldur doesn't talk to anyone and Gar is the same as always. I guess I'm the only one who actually changed for the worst, huh?"

"I'm leaving now." She tells him, hand still gripping his. "And I want you to know that I do love you. I know I couldn't say it when you needed me to, or even when you're awake, but I do. And you need to get better so you can train those little brats so when I have kids they can kick your kids' asses."

She's about to pull away, but there is a soft tug on her hand. She turns to the speedster quickly, eyes narrowed. His eyes are open slightly, brows furrowed. "Linda?"

Her hand finds his IV, cutting off the supply of whatever they're giving him, and his eyes flutter shut again.

"I'll see you around Baywatch."


End file.
